EDIT: Could a mod/admin please move this to the developers forum. I didn't know about it until after I posted this and I feel that it would be more appropriate there. Thank you.
There was a time that I was half decent at this and I'm in the process of re-learning because of some projects my boss has assigned me to....
Anyway, this is basically a form in which you enter your information and the program will automatically format and place the text to be printed on a label sheet. This is done to keep all of the labels uniform and easy to read because some people like to get carried away with artsy fartsy fonts and styles.
Thinking this through as best I could, I wanted something that would be easy for anyone (there are a few fifty-somethings in the dept) to use and worked reliably, so here is the program that I came up with:
- Each cell contains grayed italicized text which indicates the data that belongs in each box.
- If data is entered in the box; the font switches to a black non-italicized Arial font.
- If the data is left blank, the grayed text returns. If the textbox in the lower right contains information entered by the user, a slash will automatically be added before it via a hidden textbox. I tried doing this another way which wasn't working (I'll get to that later) so I had to do it by adding hidden textboxes which are named "TextBox1, TextBox2, etc"
Here is the code for the first 4 textboxes.
Code:
Private Sub txtA1_01_AfterUpdate()
If txtA1_01 = "" Then
txtA1_01.Font.Italic = True
txtA1_01 = "Item ID"
txtA1_01.ForeColor = &H80000011
End If
End Sub
Private Sub txtA1_01_Enter()
If txtA1_01 = "Item ID" Then
txtA1_01 = ""
txtA1_01.Font.Italic = False
txtA1_01.ForeColor = &H80000007
End If
End Sub
Private Sub txtA2_01_AfterUpdate()
If txtA2_01 = "" Then
txtA2_01 = "Customer"
txtA2_01.Font.Italic = True
txtA2_01.ForeColor = &H80000011
End If
End Sub
Private Sub txtA2_01_Enter()
If txtA2_01 = "Customer" Then
txtA2_01 = ""
txtA2_01.Font.Italic = False
txtA2_01.ForeColor = &H80000007
End If
End Sub
Private Sub txtA3_01_AfterUpdate()
If txtA3_01 = "" Then
txtA3_01.Font.Italic = True
txtA3_01 = "Customer Part Number"
txtA3_01.ForeColor = &H80000011
End If
End Sub
Private Sub txtA3_01_Enter()
If txtA3_01 = "Customer Part Number" Then
txtA3_01 = ""
txtA3_01.Font.Italic = False
txtA3_01.ForeColor = &H80000007
End If
End Sub
Private Sub txtA4_01_AfterUpdate()
If txtA4_01 = "" Then
txtA4_01.Font.Italic = True
txtA4_01 = "Description"
txtA4_01.ForeColor = &H80000011
End If
End Sub
Private Sub txtA4_01_Enter()
If txtA4_01 = "Description" Then
txtA4_01 = ""
txtA4_01.Font.Italic = False
txtA4_01.ForeColor = &H80000007
And then the slash via hidden textbox which comes later in the scrpit.
Code:
If txtA4_01.ForeColor = &H80000007 Then
TextBox1.Value = " / "
End If
End Sub
The command button in the middle of the form transfers the data to the respective textboxes. The Textboxes that still contain their default values will not transfer.
Here is the code for the command button.
The code that deletes the cells that still contain their default values so they don't transfer.
Code:
Sub cmd01_Click()
If txtA1_01.ForeColor = &H80000011 Then
txtA1_01.Value = ""
End If
If txtA2_01.ForeColor = &H80000011 Then
txtA2_01.Value = ""
End If
If txtA3_01.ForeColor = &H80000011 Then
txtA3_01.Value = ""
End If
If txtA4_01.ForeColor = &H80000011 Then
txtA4_01.Value = ""
End If
If txtA1_02.ForeColor = &H80000011 Then
txtA1_02.Value = ""
End If
If txtA2_02.ForeColor = &H80000011 Then
txtA2_02.Value = ""
End If
If txtA3_02.ForeColor = &H80000011 Then
txtA3_02.Value = ""
End If
If txtA4_02.ForeColor = &H80000011 Then
txtA4_02.Value = ""
End If
And here is the code that transfers the data.
Code:
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
With ActiveDocument
.Bookmarks("txt01a").Range.Text = txtA1_01.Value
.Bookmarks("txt02a").Range.Text = txtA2_01.Value
.Bookmarks("txt03a").Range.Text = txtA3_01.Value & " " & TextBox1.Value & txtA4_01.Value
.Bookmarks("txt01a2").Range.Text = txtA1_02.Value
.Bookmarks("txt02a2").Range.Text = txtA2_02.Value
.Bookmarks("txt03a2").Range.Text = txtA3_02.Value & " " & TextBox2.Value & txtA4_02.Value
End With
Unload Me
End Sub
Now even though it is technically working, I think it is somewhat bloated and I know that the more code you write, the more likely you are to have problems in the future. This combined with that fact that I was muddling through gives me low confidence with the integrity of my script.
That being said, here are my concerns:
- The way I'm adding the slash (based on the lower right textbox) is via a hidden textbox. I feel like there is a better way to do this but adding the hidden textbox was the only way I could make it work.
- Also my method of data transfer from the textboxes over to the document. I think it would be better to transfer the data when it contains info entered by the use using If/When based on what's in the cell because this would eliminate the need for deletion of untouched textboxes when hitting the Command Button because it would mean less code.
- Then finally there is one minor flaw that I would like to have fixed if possible. Whenever a space is entered in the textboxes, the defualt values won't return. There literally needs to be nothing in the textbox. This in turn will cause the "/" to transfer to the document if a space has been entered in the lower right textbox.
Now I understand that this is a pretty big form to manage (100 textboxes in all) so I'm doing my best to keep things understandable for you guys.
- Here is an example of the form as it appears in full view along with an explanation of naming syntax for the non-hidden textboxes (link)
- Here is an example of how the form transfers data based on the conditions that I described earlier (link)
- Because there is alot of code in this file, I have attached a smaller version of the form only containing only the top 16 textboxes and the 4 hidden textboxes relating to it which should make it easier to review (hopefully)
- FWIW, I also attached the full version of the script.
- There are two zip files. Each one respectively containing the code,, the .frm file, and their respective documents.http://i.imgur.com/HTowkGy.png
- I know I need to fix the tab order with the textboxes, I'm working on that.
- I also know that my bookmark naming syntax isn't 100% consistent. This is because I was having problems with them disappearing for no apparent reason and not working unless I gave renamed them. Next time, I'll make sure to establish bookmarks at final step.
I tried to be as informative as I could be. I'm open to all tips and suggestions. Thanks in advance :)
